Wed June 15, 2011

Cuban Nostalgia For 3 Cents A Cup

For many Cubans living in South Florida, the pre-Castro years in Cuba represent a golden era. Nostalgia for friends, family and yesteryear traditions can be felt at Cuban coffee counters across South Florida. One local business owner decided to take this yearning for tradition one step further by selling coffee for 3 cents, the price it was sold for in pre-Castro Cuba.

Miami Herald reporter Laura Isensee spoke with Rolando Blanco, the former owner of Latin Miami Café in Hialeah. Blanco, who was a 9-year-old boy when Fidel Castro took power, said he will never forget his formative years in Cuba. He said he always wanted to honor those memories by selling Cuban coffee for 3 cents at his restaurant, which was located at the corner of LeJeune Road and Northwest 79th Street.

Blanco’s plan was to continue selling Cuban coffee at this price until he could no longer afford to do so. Whether it was the price of his coffee or the state of the economy, his restaurant unfortunately shut its doors recently.

What are some places that evoke nostalgia or defined your South Florida experience but are no longer around? Tell us in the comments section or share with us on Facebook or Twitter.